UAVs at IDEX UAE 2023, Largest Middle East Arms & Defense Tech Show

Submitted by tatwood on Wed, 03/08/2023 - 15:15

The International Defence Exhibition & Conference, or IDEX, is a biennial arms and defense technology sales exhibition that encompasses land, air and sea products. The exhibition is the largest defense exhibition and conference in the Middle East and takes place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. IDEX 2023 was held from 20-24 February 2023 with approximately 1300 exhibitors. The city of Abu Dhabi is located on an island in the Persian Gulf, off the Central West Coast. 

These UAVs were among the aerospace exhibits at IDEX:
1. A prop-propelled UAV sits on the floor at the booth for Turkish firm Havelson. Lee Ferran Breaking Defense.
2. A Turkish Hurjet shows off its flashy paint job at IDEX 2023. Lee Ferran Breaking Defense.
3. An unmanned aerial system from the UAE-based Calidus defense firm on display at IDEX 2023. Lee Ferran Breaking Defense.
4. A large unmanned helicopter, UAE defense conglomerate EDGE Group at IDEX 2023. Lee Ferran Breaking Defense.
5. Collins Aerospace unveiled a new drone design. Agnes Helou Breaking Defense.
6. Lockheed Martin displayed this quadcopter taken out by a laser weapon. Lee Ferran Breaking Defense.
7. The Emirati defense conglomerate EDGE Group offers drones in a variety of sizes, in 1 color — sleek gray.
8. South African firm Milkor displays a UAV offering at IDEX 2023. Lee Ferran Breaking Defense.
9. EDGE Group shows an intimidating unmanned aerial vehicle.
10. South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries shows off a model of its FA-50 fighter at IDEX 2023. Lee Ferran Breaking Defense.
11. Turkish Aerospace’s Anka drone can fly for 30-plus hours at around 20,000 feet, the company says. 


The IDEX show covers land, air and sea domains; this report is a brief look at selected aircraft.  IDEX is organized through the state-run Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC). The first edition of the exhibition took place in 1993. Photos by Lee Ferran, Breaking Defense.

Watch an IDEX overview video here. More details are at Breakingdefense.com. Our thanks to David Place (USN/Ret), davidplace47[at]gmail[dot]com, for his assistance with this show report. Opening photo courtesy of Monica England.

David distributes the Unmanned Systems News (USN), a free, comprehensive newsletter in PDF format every week or two, as well as serial news flashes. To be included in his distribution, simply send a subscribe request to davidplace47[at]gmail[dot]com.